OBS Studio vs StreamYard
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
OBS Studio
Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming
StreamYard
Browser-based studio for live streaming and recording with guests
Where they differ
- OBS Studio is free. StreamYard starts at $35.99 per month, billed yearly ($44.99 billed monthly).
- Only OBS Studio lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Only StreamYard lists a web app.
- OBS Studio is open source, according to its own site.
- OBS Studio also covers noise cancellation and screen recording.
- StreamYard also covers transcription and video editing.
At a glance
| OBS Studio | StreamYard | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $35.99 per month, billed yearly ($44.99 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the GNU GPL v2, with no paid edition. The project is funded by sponsors and by donations through Open Collective and Patreon. | The essential studio features with a StreamYard logo on streams, monthly streaming limits, limited storage, 2 hours of local recordings a month, 6 on-screen participants and 1 seat. |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial of Core or Advanced |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | OBS Project | Bending Spoons |
| Price read from | obsproject.com | streamyard.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
OBS Studio
- Live streamers who want detailed control of scenes, sources and audio
- Recording gameplay, tutorials or presentations without paying for software
- Linux users: there is an official Flatpak and an Ubuntu PPA
StreamYard
- Solo creators running interview shows without a production crew
- Streaming one broadcast to several social platforms at once
- Podcasters who record remote guests on separate tracks
Worth knowing
OBS Studio
- It captures and mixes video in real time; the feature list on its site does not include editing a recording afterwards.
- Downloads are offered for Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13.0 or newer, and Linux; no mobile or browser version is listed.
- The Game Capture source is Windows only, according to the quick start guide.
- Help comes from a knowledge base, forums and a community Discord server rather than a vendor support desk.
StreamYard
- The Free plan shows a StreamYard logo, limits monthly streaming hours and storage, and cannot stream live and record at the same time.
- Core and Advanced are for individual use only; companies are pointed to separate Business plans sold through sales.
- 4K local recordings, transcript downloads and On-Air webinars need the Advanced plan.
- StreamYard says plan prices can vary with promotions and renewal terms, and its 7-day money-back guarantee covers only the first charge.
Key features
OBS Studio
- Scenes and sources
- Compose a scene from window and display captures, webcams, capture cards, images, text and browser windows, and set up as many scenes as you need.
- Recording and live streaming
- Record to a local file or stream to one of the included services or a custom server. A replay buffer can save recent footage with a hotkey.
- Audio mixer with filters
- Each audio source can take filters such as a noise gate, noise suppression and gain, and VST plugins are supported.
- Studio Mode and Multiview
- Studio Mode lets you preview and adjust a scene before it goes live. Multiview shows 8 scenes at once and cues any of them with a click.
- Virtual camera
- Sends an OBS scene, or a single source, to any app that accepts a webcam, such as Zoom or Discord.
- Plugins and scripting
- An API supports native plugins and scripts written in Lua or Python, and community-made plugins are shared in the site's Resources section.
StreamYard
- Browser studio with remote guests
- Guests join from a browser or phone through a link, with no download or account. Up to 6 people fit on screen on the Free plan and 10 on paid plans.
- Multistreaming
- Send one stream to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Twitch and custom RTMP destinations at once: 3 destinations on Core and 8 on Advanced.
- Local recordings
- Each participant's audio and video are recorded on their own device as separate files and uploaded in the background, so a weak connection does not blur the result.
- Show branding
- Paid plans add logos, overlays, video clips, backgrounds, intro and outro videos and more than 16 custom layouts. Custom fonts need Advanced.
- On-Air webinars and pre-recorded streams
- StreamYard On-Air hosts live webinars that can be embedded on your own site. Pre-recorded videos can be streamed as if live: up to 2 hours on Core and 4 on Advanced.
- Clips and repurposing
- Trim and split recordings into short clips for Shorts and Reels inside StreamYard, which is free for all users. AI clips are part of the paid plans.
Plans
OBS Studio
OBS Studio$0
The complete program for Windows, macOS and Linux, including recording, live streaming, the virtual camera, plugins and scripting.
StreamYard
Free$0
Essential studio features with a StreamYard logo, streaming limits, limited storage, 2 hours of local recordings a month and 6 on-screen participants.
Core$35.99
per month, billed yearly ($44.99 billed monthly)
1080p, no StreamYard logo, multistreaming to 3 destinations, 10 on-screen participants, unlimited streaming and recording, and 50 hours of storage.
Advanced$68.99
per month, billed yearly ($88.99 billed monthly)
Everything in Core plus 4K local recordings, 8 multistream destinations, 15 backstage participants, On-Air webinars for 100 viewers and transcript downloads.
Ways to pay less
OBS Studio
No public discounts listed.
StreamYard
- Annual discount
22% off with yearly billing
StreamYard's pricing page labels yearly billing as 22% off. Core is $35.99 a month billed yearly against $44.99 billed monthly, and Advanced is $68.99 against $88.99.
